WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) – The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office is now equipped with a new resource designed to bring comfort to children during moments of crisis.
The sheriff’s office received what officials call “Bexley Boxes” Friday as part of a statewide initiative through the Florida Attorney General’s office in partnership with the Bridegan Foundation and Walmart.
A 2022 tragedy at Jacksonville Beach inspired the initiative. After witnessing the murder of her father, Bexley Bridegan spent hours at a police station without basic toddler necessities.
In response, her mother, Kirsten Bridegan, helped launch the nonprofit Bridegan Foundation to provide emergency comfort kits for children interacting with law enforcement.
The goal is to ensure every eligible law enforcement agency in Florida has supplies to help care for children in crisis.
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Each box is stocked with age-appropriate essentials, including diapers, baby formula, juice, snacks, blankets, stuffed animals, coloring books and other comfort items.
The WCSO said the supplies will fill an important need.
“Children are at the majority of our calls. I mean, you look at families, whether you’re in a domestic, whether there’s a car accident, many times there’s children in a car during that car accident. Some of our really traumatic events we’ve had included children in the history of Wakulla County and that’s a pretty sad fact,” Brett Surace with the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies are currently organizing the supplies by age group. Some items will remain at the sheriff’s office, while others will be placed in patrol vehicles so they’re readily available during emergency calls.
State officials say Walmart has pledged more than $100,000 to help distribute Bexley Boxes to law enforcement agencies across Florida.
WCSO said it is grateful to receive the new resource, which will help deputies provide comfort and care to children during difficult and traumatic situations.
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